Wednesday 16 November 2005

Bad News

Any television-viewer who can comfortably out-think an aubergine, without having to rely on pen and paper, must wonder at the state of the ITN Evening News. One must wonder at how a news-broadcaster, ostensibly finding its audience amongst a species bearing the honorific title sapiens, could pitch so low that even dogs might howl in derision.
Though I have become inured to its absurd sensationalism and idiotic simplifications, I am still exercised by its egregious abuse of the English language. Last night, for instance, it reported that Anthony Walker had been “bludgeoned to death with an axe”, which monstrosity might lead some to fear whether it is also possible to be axed to death with a bludgeon.

1 comment:

Akaky said...

Well, you could, in theory, bludgeon someone with a hatchet, always assuming, of course, that you were not using the sharp end of the hatchet. As to whether or not you could ax someone with a bludgeon, my guess is if the person involved is axing about this they probably don't know what a bludgeon is, much less worry about how to use one.